Museum to develop Eco-friendly plastic

Researchers from the National Museum in Denmark are embarking on a project to develop sustainable plastic made from waste instead of fossil fuels, intended for long-lasting products. Led by research professor Yvonne Shashoua, the project aims to use low-value waste, which is not currently recycled, as material for producing plastic. Examples include extracting the coating from paper cups or purifying cigarette butts for reuse. Funded with five million Danish kroner from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the three-year ‘Healthy Plastic from Waste’ project is not profit-oriented but aims to generate knowledge for the benefit of all. Shashoua emphasizes the need to move away from the throwaway culture and reconsider the crucial uses of the limited plastic that would remain if only 100 tons were left in the world.